At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead contractor performance and improve home maintenance services for customers.
- Company: Aspire Housing, dedicated to enhancing community living.
- Benefits: 27 days holiday, health support, pension scheme, and volunteer days.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in customer experiences and service quality.
- Qualifications: Experience in contract management and strong relationship-building skills.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Newcastle under Lyme - Homebased
Fixed-term contract for 6 months, with potential to extend.
This is an opportunity to take a leading role in improving how we deliver repairs, maintenance and home improvement services for our customers. As Aspire Housing continues to invest in its Home Maintenance Service, we're looking for a Contracts Manager who can bring commercial grip, strong contractor management and a sharp focus on quality, value and customer outcomes.
If you enjoy holding partners to account, influencing service improvement and working across operational and strategic priorities, this role offers the chance to make a visible difference.
About the role
As Contracts Manager, you'll lead the management and performance of contractors delivering key maintenance-related services. You'll make sure work is delivered to the right standard, at the right cost, and in a way that supports safe, efficient and customer-focused services. You'll play an important part in our wider transformation programme, using insight, commercial judgement and relationship management to strengthen performance and improve the experience of customers in their homes.
What you'll be doing
- Leading the monitoring and management of contractor performance across quality, cost and service delivery measures.
- Building effective relationships with contractors, suppliers and internal stakeholders to drive accountability and continuous improvement.
- Chairing contract and performance meetings, providing clear challenge and direction where standards are not being met.
- Reviewing costs, validating invoices and identifying opportunities to improve value for money.
- Supporting procurement activity, including onboarding new contractors and suppliers where needed.
- Using data, KPIs and service insight to identify risks, escalate issues early and inform improvements.
- Working across teams to support service delivery, transformation activity and a consistent customer experience.
- Preparing clear reports and updates to support decision-making and performance oversight.
- Responding to customer feedback and complaints constructively, making sure learning is translated into service improvement.
- Championing safe, compliant and customer-focused ways of working.
What we're looking for
- Experience in contract management, procurement or contractor performance within a relevant service environment, along with the confidence to challenge, influence and build strong working relationships.
- A track record of working effectively with contractors, suppliers and multiple stakeholders.
- Strong commercial awareness, including budget management and value-for-money decision-making.
- Knowledge of contract frameworks such as JCT, NEC or similar and the Nat fed 8 schedule of rates framework.
- Experience using performance data and KPIs to manage delivery and drive improvement.
- The ability to communicate clearly, influence positively and maintain strong professional standards.
- A collaborative approach and a genuine commitment to improving services for customers.
At Aspire, attitude and behaviour matter. We value people who work collaboratively, keep their promises, respect others and contribute to a one-team culture.
What we offer
- The chance to make a real difference to customers and communities.
- 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays and 3 concessionary days at Christmas.
- Comprehensive employee assistance programme.
- Benefits and discounts platform.
- Holiday buy, tech and annual saving schemes.
- 2 volunteer days per year.
- Generous pension scheme and life insurance up to 3x salary as an active member.
- Wellbeing support, health drop-ins and workplace safety provisions.
- Option to join the medical health cash plan.
- Green car scheme.
- Enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
- Service-related awards.
- Cycle to work scheme.
If you're looking for a role where you can influence service quality, strengthen contractor performance and help shape better outcomes for customers, we'd love to hear from you. Please apply as soon as possible. We reserve the right to interview during the advertising period and may close the vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications.
Contract Manager in Stoke-on-Trent employer: Aspire
Aspire Housing is an exceptional employer that prioritises a collaborative work culture and values the contributions of its team members. With a strong focus on employee wellbeing, we offer generous benefits including 27 days of holiday, a comprehensive employee assistance programme, and opportunities for professional growth through impactful roles like the Contract Manager position. Located in Newcastle under Lyme, this home-based role allows you to make a tangible difference in the community while enjoying a supportive environment that champions service improvement and customer satisfaction.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Contract Manager in Stoke-on-Trent
✨Get Involved in Local Procurement Meetups
Join local procurement and purchasing groups on platforms like Meetup or Eventbrite. These gatherings are great for networking with industry professionals, sharing insights, and potentially hearing about temporary roles that might not be widely advertised!
✨Seasonal Hiring Cycles are Your Friend!
Keep an eye on seasonal trends in procurement, as many companies ramp up hiring during certain times of the year – especially around end-of-financial-year periods when budgets are being utilised. Be proactive and reach out to companies directly during these windows.
✨Leverage Online Platforms for Temporary Roles
Don’t forget to browse specific job boards dedicated to temporary positions, such as Reed or Indeed. You can filter your search for procurement roles and set up alerts for when new jobs pop up, so you can apply immediately!
✨Showcase Your Skills on Professional Networks
Create short case studies or posts on LinkedIn showcasing your procurement experience or interesting projects you've tackled. This not only builds your visibility but can also attract recruiters looking for temporary talent like you!
We think you need these skills to ace Contract Manager in Stoke-on-Trent
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Relevant Experience:When applying for a temporary role in procurement-purchasing, it's crucial to highlight any relevant experience you have. Mention specific tasks like negotiating contracts, managing supplier relationships, or optimising inventory. This will show Aspire that you can hit the ground running!
Keep it Concise and Impactful:For a temporary role, we recommend keeping your CV and cover letter concise. Focus on key achievements that showcase your procurement skills and any immediate impact you’ve made in past roles. Use bullet points for clarity—this way, Aspire can quickly grasp your capabilities!
Include Relevant Certifications:If you’ve got any certifications that are relevant to procurement, like CIPS (Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply), don’t forget to mention them! This adds extra weight to your application and shows Aspire that you're serious about your professional development.
Emphasise Flexibility and Availability:Since this is a temporary position, make sure to emphasise your availability and flexibility in your cover letter. Let Aspire know when you can start and that you’re ready to adapt to their needs, making your application even more appealing!
How to prepare for a job interview at Aspire
✨Know Your Procurement Basics
Brush up on key procurement concepts and terms, like 'total cost of ownership' and 'supplier relationships'. We want to impress them with our knowledge! Being able to talk fluently about relevant techniques and tools specific to the procurement field will definitely lend credibility.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
In a purchasing role, you might get thrown some real-world scenarios to assess how you’d handle supplier negotiations or cost-saving strategies. Be ready to demonstrate your problem-solving skills! Practising how you'd tackle these situations in advance will help us shine during the interview.
✨Highlight Your Flexibility and Adaptability
Since it’s a temporary role, emphasise how you can quickly adapt to new processes and environments. Share examples of past experiences where you’ve tackled new challenges with ease, showing they can rely on us to hit the ground running and contribute immediately!
✨Show Off Your Tech Savvy
Being well-versed in procurement software like SAP or Coupa can set us apart from other candidates. If you've got experience with these tools, be sure to mention it! Having a handle on data analysis and reporting will also demonstrate our capability to leverage technology effectively in procurement.
